Breaking: Saregama acquires majority stake in Pocket Aces for ₹127.47 crores

Saregama India Limited has announced the successful acquisition of a controlling equity stake in digital entertainment powerhouse Pocket Aces Pictures Private Limited. With this latest move, Saregama now holds a 90.37% stake in the company, further strengthening its presence in the digital content space. It had paid INR 166 crore to purchase the initial 51.8% stake in a deal that was completed on November 11, 2023.

The acquisition, which was completed on March 29, 2025, follows the terms outlined in the Investment Agreement and Shareholders’ Agreement dated September 28, 2023. As part of the deal, Saregama acquired a total of 2,70,427 securities, including equity shares and various series of compulsorily convertible preference shares. The transaction, amounting to INR 127.47 Crores, was executed as a second-tranche sale consideration paid to existing security holders of Pocket Aces.

Pocket Aces, a Mumbai-based digital entertainment company, has been at the forefront of youth-centric content creation. With a portfolio exceeding 35,000 content pieces, the company has built a strong audience base across its popular channels—FilterCopy, Nutshell, Gobble, and Dice Media. Additionally, its talent management arm, Clout, represents over 215 digital influencers, while Dice Media has produced successful web series for platforms such as Netflix, Hotstar, and Amazon Prime Video.

The acquisition aligns with Saregama’s long-term strategy of expanding its digital footprint. By integrating Pocket Aces’ IP assets and leveraging its massive distribution network of over 175 million followers, Saregama aims to enhance the reach of its extensive music catalog among the highly sought-after 18-35 demographic.

With Pocket Aces now a majority-owned subsidiary, Saregama envisions significant synergies between its music library, influencer management, and long-form video production businesses. The combined strengths of both companies will enable enhanced cross-platform engagement, boosting content creation and distribution efficiency.

The acquisition was primarily a cash transaction, with shares purchased from multiple security holders. Notably, one of the selling shareholders, Aditi Srivastava, who is also a director of Pocket Aces, was part of the deal, making a portion of the transaction a related party agreement conducted at arm’s length.

Pocket Aces has demonstrated robust financial performance in recent years. In the 2023-24 financial year, the company reported a turnover of INR 8,859.17 Lakhs. This follows revenues of INR 10,267.93 Lakhs in 2022-23 and INR 9,734.20 Lakhs in 2021-22, showcasing its consistent growth trajectory in the competitive digital entertainment sector.